Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, has issued a strong condemnation of Nigeria’s deteriorating security situation and institutional decay, describing recent events as unprecedented and deeply troubling. Obi highlighted that insecurity in Nigeria has reached an existential level, affecting livelihoods, displacing millions, and causing widespread economic and social disruptions.
In a recent statement, Obi questioned whether Nigeria is cursed or if the leadership itself is the cause of the nation’s woes, pointing to a leadership crisis marked by comfort over courage, politics over people, and power over purpose. He lamented a string of violent incidents over a short period, including kidnappings, executions, bandit attacks, and abductions of schoolchildren and farmers, all contributing to a climate of fear and instability.
Obi called for urgent and coordinated government action to secure the nation and prioritize the welfare of citizens, warning that without decisive intervention, Nigeria’s future remains bleak. He stressed that governance is a responsibility requiring competence, compassion, and commitment, urging leaders to protect every community and citizen.
Citing reports from the United Nations and Amnesty International, Obi underscored the humanitarian toll of the crisis, with millions internally displaced and tens of thousands killed since 2023. He warned that the ongoing insecurity is hampering investment, destroying businesses, disrupting education, and threatening the country’s socio-economic progress.
The former governor urged the government to channel resources effectively toward security and development to restore peace and unlock Nigeria’s vast productive potential. Without addressing the security challenges head-on, Obi cautioned that sustainable national growth will remain out of reach.